Correction: Structural modeling and role of HAX-1 as a positive allosteric modulator of human serine protease HtrA2

Abstract Background Neurosteroids affect the balance between neuroexcitation and neuroinhibition but have been little studied in migraine. We compared the serum levels of pregnenolone sulfate, pregnanolone and estradiol in women with menstrually-related migraine and controls and analysed if a correlation existed between the levels of the three hormones and history of migraine and age. Methods Thirty women (mean age ± SD: 33.5 ± 7.1) with menstrually-related migraine (MM group) and 30 aged- matched controls (mean age ± SD: 30.9 ± 7.9) participated in the exploratory study. Pregnenolone sulfate and pregnanolone serum levels were analysed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, while estradiol levels by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results Serum levels of pregnenolone sulfate and pregnanolone were significantly lower in the MM group than in controls (pregnenolone sulfate: P = 0.0328; pregnanolone: P = 0.0271, Student’s t-test), while estradiol levels were similar. In MM group, pregnenolone sulfate serum levels were negatively correlated with history of migraine (R2 = 0.1369; P = 0.0482) and age (R2 = 0.2826, P = 0.0025) while pregnenolone sulfate levels were not age-related in the control group (R2 = 0.04436, P = 0.4337, linear regression analysis). Conclusion Low levels of both pregnanolone, a positive allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor, and pregnenolone sulfate, a positive allosteric modulator of the NMDA receptor, involved in memory and learning, could contribute either to headache pain or the cognitive dysfunctions reported in migraine patients. Overall, our results agree with the hypothesis that migraine is a disorder associated with a loss of neurohormonal integrity, thus supporting the therapeutic potential of restoring low neurosteroid levels in migraine treatment.

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Carbohydrate-controlled serine protease inhibitor (serpin) production in Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-86740-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

S. Duboux ◽

M. Golliard ◽

J. A. Muller ◽

G. Bergonzelli ◽

C. J. Bolten ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Protease Inhibitor ◽

Serine Protease ◽

Serine Proteases ◽

Intestinal Tract ◽

Defense Mechanism ◽

Inflammatory Diseases ◽

Bifidobacterium Longum ◽

Serine Protease Inhibitor ◽

Innate Defense

AbstractThe Serine Protease Inhibitor (serpin) protein has been suggested to play a key role in the interaction of bifidobacteria with the host. By inhibiting intestinal serine proteases, it might allow bifidobacteria to reside in specific gut niches. In inflammatory diseases where serine proteases contribute to the innate defense mechanism of the host, serpin may dampen the damaging effects of inflammation. In view of the beneficial roles of this protein, it is important to understand how its production is regulated. Here we demonstrate that Bifidobacterium longum NCC 2705 serpin production is tightly regulated by carbohydrates. Galactose and fructose increase the production of this protein while glucose prevents it, suggesting the involvement of catabolite repression. We identified that di- and oligosaccharides containing galactose (GOS) and fructose (FOS) moieties, including the human milk oligosaccharide Lacto-N-tetraose (LNT), are able to activate serpin production. Moreover, we show that the carbohydrate mediated regulation is conserved within B. longum subsp. longum strains but not in other bifidobacterial taxons harboring the serpin coding gene, highlighting that the serpin regulation circuits are not only species- but also subspecies- specific. Our work demonstrates that environmental conditions can modulate expression of an important effector molecule of B. longum, having potential important implications for probiotic manufacturing and supporting the postulated role of serpin in the ability of bifidobacteria to colonize the intestinal tract.

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